Simply Complicated
by Oreo Cookie Dragon
Summary: What happens when Rick isn't the one that dies? When someone else takes the shot. How will it effect all the other people when Rick goes to jail? Deals with death. May up rating later.
1. A Change of the Tied

Author's note: I do not own any character's of Degrassi. I do not own Degrassi.

Simply Complicated

* * *

Rick pointed the gun straight at Emma's chest. Sean was the only one in the way. The thoughts going through his head were killing him.

'Shoot the damn thing, you owe her.'

'Lower your gun, she's really not that bad!'

'You'll never get away with it if you do that.'

'Who cares!'

Rick slowly closed his eyes, hoping he had made the right decision. His finger lay on the trigger. What had he gotten himself into? Is there anything he could do to stop this chaos? There was nothing, he eventually decided, with all the hate and betrayal flooding back into his mind. Jimmy lay unconscious on the ground with a bleeding bullet shot in his back. Emma stared in terror at Rick who held the gun only a few feet away from her. Sean stood in the middle unsure of what to do.

How Emma had pushed and shoved him; caused him misery, spilt every word of hate onto his desire to please her, how she saved him with no feelings for him at all . . .

* * *

The next day, news station vans and police cars lined the high school borders. Flashes of light from cameras, chatting from the suspicious policemen and women, the reporters reporting the devastating news, all these sounds filled the air.

"Welcome back to KCR7. Here we are at Degrassi High school, with horrible news. A student was shot here at this school just yesterday. Another student, whose name still has not been released due to age, apparently brought a shot gun to school and shot a student in the back and killed another. The student who has been murdered is named Emma Nelson."

Sean had witnessed it all. Why hadn't he taken the gun and thrown it out the window? Why didn't he try to prevent . . . prevent Rick from killing Emma? How could Rick have brought a _gun_ to school? They all knew Rick was daily tortured by students, but they didn't know they had pushed him that far over the line.

Sean couldn't help but hit the replay button of the scene again . . .

**Flashback**:

There was a bang. So fast, so sudden, Sean fell to the floor, watching Emma fall along with him. Only Emma wasn't panting. Emma wasn't looking at him with fear in her eyes. Emma had closed her eyes. Sean figured she had just passed out from shock, but how to explain the bang? The bang that filled his ears, the bang that still rang. Rick had dropped his gun and started to run away. Sean didn't care about Rick right now. Why wasn't Emma breathing? Had she . . . had she been shot? Sean desperately crawled towards her. He held her hand chanting, "Emma, wake up, wake up Emma . . ." Desperately hoping . . . but it was determined. Emma was dead.

**End Flashback**

Sean lay on the torn up couch with his eyes closed. He didn't care about anything else anymore. He didn't care that Ellie had just opened the door and sat down beside him. He felt the burning of his eyes, the taste in his throat as he struggled to keep the tears down.

"It's ok Sean," he heard Ellie say with a cracked voice. "We all know it's hard, just cry."

* * *

Review!


	2. Not Today

I do not own any Derassi characters.

**Simply Complicated**

* * *

"Sean, there's going to be . . . um . . . a funeral service tomorrow. For Emma." Ellie added the last part unnecessarily.

"Yeah, ok." Sean didn't really feel like talking. He didn't want to see Emma's parents. The last time he did it was over a sushi table with Sean drunk, but he knew he had to go.

* * *

Sean pulled on a ragged grey colored suit Ellie had dug out for him. It had a slight stain here and there, but Sean figured it would do. Ellie had put on a black knee length skirt with a black laced top.

"Come on Sean, let's go."

When they arrived at the cemetery, there wasn't conversation. Just murmurs as they passed the young and old people standing amongst the crowd.

"I can't do this." Sean whispered to Ellie.

"Don't be stupid Sean, of course you can!" Ellie tugged on his arm and continued to pull him along. When Sean looked up from the ground he saw Mr. Simpson and Emma's mom in a tight hug. Her mother's eyes were red and puffy from crying so much.

"Mr. Simpson, Ms. Nelson." Ellie quietly stated in her respects. Sean followed.

"Oh Sean, Ellie," Snake's voice cracked. "Thanks for coming . . ." His voice drifted into awkward silence. Sean decided to let his feet bring him in front of the casket.

Emma lay with her eyes closed and her arms folded in a neat order. There was a deathly chill around her body. Sean felt the tingle go through his spine. He reached out to her arms, as though trying to talk to her again.

A single tear landed on her still body.

The next thing he knew, he was panting for breath in an empty parking lot. His face was blotched by tears and his suit was freshly ripped in the shoulder. He heard footsteps behind him.

"Sean!" Ellie's voice rang out. Sean said nothing in reply.

"Sean," she said, as she approached him. "It's ok. Let's go home."

* * *

A/N: Yeah, hi! This chapter was VERY short. It's supposed to be about the service, but it isn't really important. Next chapter is when Sean goes looking for Rick. Be happy. 


	3. Ye Olden Days

A/N: Hey, sorry about the short chappies. But I'm busy! And tired. Sorry. You might have to deal with them for a little bit more. And I don't really care about facts right now . . . I know some people have memorized every detail about Degrassi, but I'm just doing my thing. That's why it's called fanfiction!

Simply Complicated:

* * *

Sean sat on the couch, watching the blinding colors in the TV blast away meaninglessly. He stared at it blankly, wondering why they didn't have a black and white television. It would lessen the eye's jobs so much more.

"Ellie," Sean was meaning to ask her about buying a new television.

"Yeah, what do you want Sean?" Ellie called from somewhere to Sean's left. Suddenly Sean's mind was filled with nothing but one name. One name.

Rick.

Next thing he knew he was outside in the chilled air with his torn up leather jacket halfway on his arm. There was a determined look on his face, the look of revenge. Ellie's footsteps were dulled by Sean's ragged breathe piercing the silent air.

"SEAN!" Ellie's voice rang out, "Where are you going?"

"I don't know," Sean replied to himself.

* * *

Sean didn't know where Rick lived. His feet brought him to a hotel somewhere in the middle of the city. He stopped by and sat in the fluffy couches and just stopped thinking for a while. He looked out of place, his torn up apparel and his messy hair. The workers looked at him with disgust as he plopped there.

"Sir, only _guests_ are allowed in the lobby. Are you planning to check in any time soon?" said a snobby voice of the manager.

"Go away."

"_Excuse_ me?"

"Go away." Sean turned his head away.

"Sir. Please leave, or I will call security."

"Call them for all I care." Soon the man was talking into his walkie talkie and a couple of burly men came around the corner.

"Please take care of this young man." The man pointed to Sean.

Sean was soon dragged out of the classy hotel and thrown onto the sidewalk. He got up to his feet and brushed himself off. He let his feet take over again, as he thought to himself.

"Rick . . . . Emma . . ." Were the only two words that flowed through his mind.

* * *

Ellie sat watching the television. Sean was in a deep state of depression and angst. She knew he wouldn't do anything that rash. She had picked up the phone and started dialing 911, but then decided against it.

"Sean, where are you?" Ellie sighed. She turned off the TV and pulled on her coat. It was time to follow him.

She traveled, not knowing where Sean had gone. She had gone too late to track him down. She decided to walk to Degrassi, where it was deserted and quiet. Ellie needed some time to think.

She arrived at Degrassi around late afternoon when the bugs came out and it started to become a beautiful shade of orange. But Ellie noticed none of this. She looked up at the big plastic letters of Degrassi above the school. So much had happened at this school. So much . . . excitement, but nothing as horrendous as this. She sat herself down on a wooden bench that had carvings of all sorts. She had once sat here with Marco and eaten lunch so happily and peacefully.

**Flashback: **

Ashley was her best friend in the school. They both had fun sharing feelings and just plain laughing. Marco was her interest. He was nice, shy, and cute. They shared lunches and laughed about silly things. They poked fun at people like Paige and Hazel. Nothing was wrong. Occasionally a bad grade was what they considered a horrible situation. But life was good and going well. Nothing could ruin it.

**End Flashback:**

What happened to those days?


	4. Mid Murder Night's Dream

**Simply Complicated:**

* * *

The temperature was starting to drop and so was the bright orange ball of sun. Ellie zipped up her jacket and stood up. She had wasted enough time being wistful. Those days were gone. She had to deal with now. Ellie hung her head at an angle and began to walk away from the empty school.

Two minutes later she led herself to the movie theater where she had visited so many times with her friends. Great laughs, scares, tears, had all been given to that screen. Movies from Comedy's Finest Hours to Zombies Attack 9, she had experienced them all! She even chuckled to herself as she remembered Sean bringing her to their first 'date' movie. They had watched The Mummy Returns, and Ellie had jumped up and spilled half of the popcorn. Sean had brushed it off with a jaunty laugh.

"I can't do this."

* * *

She was crying at his feet. Nothing would stop her tears. He begged her to stop, in fear that someone would hear her. When he put his hand on his shoulder she flinched in pain and fear. She had a bullet wound straight at her heart. He yelled at her, begged her to stop crying. She screamed back with pain. The door behind them creaked open and a shadow of a tall figure covered his face. He looked up. The man had no face. No expression at all. He raised his hand . . . in his hand was a gun . . . it clicked and there was an explosion of pain . . .

Rick sat up in his bed. His face was covered in sweat, his breath ragged. The vivid dream had awoken him from his sleep. But he was glad. One minute of that torture . . . that visit back in time would've sent his mind out of control. His alarm clock was on the ground where Rick figured he had pushed it off. His blankets and sheets were all on the floor.

"What am I doing here?" Rick wondered as he looked up at the white ceiling, covered in those little stick on glow-in-the-dark stars that never work anyway. He had lived in this house since he was small, so small he needed help to reach the ceiling.

**Flashback:**

"Leave me alone!" The angry voice filled the dimly lit kitchen. It was empty except for a woman who sat in a chipped up chair. She looked dazed and had a small cut on her hand.

"Dear, I just need a band-aid!" She looked scared. "Please, don't be foolish."

"What did you say?" The boy turned around with a menacing look on his face.

"It's just a request," She was cut off.

"Did you say I am _foolish_?" The tenseness in his voice was at its peak.

"No, I didn't mean it like that!"

The boy walked up to his mother and slapped her.

"Never call me foolish _again_."

**End Flashback:**

* * *

Sean was scared. He needed Ellie to rescue him. Where else would he go? There was no special place he and Ellie shared. He guessed she had left the apartment already in search of him. He remembered what his father used to tell him when they went to hunt.

"Always stay where you are when you're lost."

Staying in a damp alley wasn't where he had in mind. It smelled somewhat of rotten eggs and fish combined. Sean jumped when a cat leaped out of a trashcan with a rattle. It stared up at him with lamp-like eyes.

"Don't look at me like that." Sean said as it sauntered away. "I need time alone."

"I'm sure you do."

* * *

AN: Hey! I'm on a roll! Ok. So I'm getting major stock up reviews on Simply Complicated, which is cool! Keep 'em coming! In case you haven't noticed, my story changes POV's without telling you. Hope it's not confusing. Also, the last line isn't said by Sean, just to let you know! wink wink 


	5. Finish Up What You End

**Simply Complicated:**

* * *

"What," Sean whipped around. "Who, who is it?" The sun was blinding him. He could only see the outline of a figure wearing a sweat jacket and had a short hair style . . .

"Jimmy?"

"Hey man!" Jimmy extended his hand and Sean grabbed it. They hadn't seen each other since the year before, when Rick had shot Emma. They hugged and Sean felt his eyes watering.

"What are you doing here?" Sean managed to mumble out.

"Helping my bro!" Jimmy laughed. "What happened to Ellie? You didn't . . . ?"

"No, we're still tight . . ." Sean tried to sound as casual as he could. "Well . . . how's Hazel?"

"Aw, she's good. She's visiting her gramps down in the USA. Why are you here in this . . . mess?" Jimmy pointed to the alley way Sean had been hiding in.

"Jimmy," Sean felt himself sliding down to the pavement again. "I can't deal with this. When Emma . . . when she died . . . . I felt like I should've been there. Instead of her."

"Sean, let go of yourself first." Jimmy's smile disappeared and was replaced by a serious look. "When I got shot, all I had in my mind was getting better. And look where I am now!" The smile returned as Sean grinned a little.

"I don't know why, but I miss her." Sean looked down at the ground. "I mean, I dated her once. Even though it never worked out, she's still a good friend."

"Just remember, it ain't your fault."

* * *

Ellie didn't have anywhere to go. She had explored all of downtown. She had even stopped by at Sean's favorite Chinese food store, where she had no luck. She didn't need to go to the apartment to know he wouldn't be there. There was only one place that they shared.

Ellie turned around and walked towards a school that had been haunted by so many events it was now taking a two year long break of school. Students were told to take a break with them or transfer to other schools. Degrassi held onto some particular students who stayed out of school in order to wait for its reopening.

She placed herself underneath the sign of Degrassi on the concrete steps. She waited.

* * *

Rick started packing up his things, a shirt or two, a couple pair of pants, some of this, some of that, his old pair of glasses. He grabbed a wad of money his mother had convinced to save up for an "emergency". This was bad enough. In total it was about a hundred a twenty dollars. He pushed the window up with a thrust and pushed his suitcase out. He then jumped out himself.

"What are you doing?" Rick asked himself as he walked down the quiet street. The leaves billowed around in twirls. A cat appeared with its bushy tail swinging in rhythm to its movement.

"I'm going to finish what I began." He answered to himself.

* * *

"Why didn't he go to jail?" Sean asked Jimmy, who had been more up to date with the news than he had bothered to listen to.

"He fled the scene and his mother moved him uptown to a rich neighborhood. They paid off the case." Jimmy sighed.

"How could they do that? Someone _died_!" Sean exploded.

"Yes, I know!" Jimmy struggled to keep Sean from jumping out into the street. "That's why we have to find him." He held a brave, strong expression on his face.

"What?"

"We're going after him. We'll bring Ellie. We'll wait for Hazel. We'll gather up our old gang, I don't know." Jimmy looked a little disappointed at the last three words. "But we'll muster up something, I just know it."

"Where do we go first?" Sean looked to his friend.

"Where it all started."

* * *

A/N: Somewhere I this story the plot begins to form. Oo LOL. I guess you'll have to wait. I love you guys. Thanks for reviewing! We're all assuming Jimmy has healed from his gun shot wound. Just in case you didn't quite get that. Hee hee. Well, have a good time! 


	6. Posse of the Past

Author's Note: Hey guys! I love your reviews! Thanks so much for keeping all the reviews rolling in! I LOVE YOU GUYS! LOL. But anyways. I decided the plop Jimmy in, which means Hazel has to come in, and Paige, and blah blah blah. You'll see. wink again

**Simply Complicated:**

* * *

Rick ran to a hotel in the middle of the city. (**AN: Sound familiar?**) He brought his light suitcase and dropped in onto the carpet.

"Sir," A man with his nose slightly tipped upwards walked towards Rick. "Are you planning to check in?"

"Oh," Rick mentally counted the cash he had. "How much is one night?"

"About one hundred dollars." That meant that Rick would only have 20 left. But he could always sneak back into the house to get more. He was too tired to look for some Motel 6. He had to settle.

"I'll take a room." The man brought him up to the counter and handed him his room key in exchange for the money.

"It's on the third floor, room 35. Would you like an escort?" The manager flapped his hand towards one of the bell boys.

"No, I'm fully capable of carrying my own luggage." Rick snorted back. "If you can call it luggage." Before he could look back at the man's shocked face, he turned towards a nearby elevator and pressed the button.

* * *

"Hazel comes back in two days. That gives us that much time to find everyone else in our posse." Jimmy laughed at his own choice of words.

"I was never part of your _group_." Sean mumbled.

"You are now. We all knew Emma. She was a good person, underneath the stubbornness." Sean nodded as they approached De Grassi Lane. He looked up and saw Ellie sleeping quietly on the steps.

"Ellie!" Sean ran forward and gave her a quick squeeze. "Are you alright?"

"Huh?" She yawned. "Sean! Jimmy?" Ellie stared at him.

"Surprise," Jimmy chuckled. "I'm here. I'm here to help. Help find Rick."

"What?" Ellie looked from Sean to Jimmy. "When did we decide this?"

"Jimmy and I did." Sean explained the rest of the story to her. The walked around to a nearby park. The play structure lay untouched and the swings trembled in the slight autumn breeze.

"How will we find all the other people? Like Paige, or Craig?" Ellie pointed out.

"Um . . ." Jimmy scratched his chin in thought.

"I know," Sean ran over to a phone booth. "Here's a yellow page book. All we have to do is call them. I hope this is updated . . ." Sean said in frustration as he flipped through the book.

"Paige Michalchuk, Hazel Aden, Craig Manning, Ashley Kerwin." Jimmy paused for a moment as Sean rapidly flipped through and tore out pages. "Got them?"

"Yeah, yeah I think that's it." Sean sighed.

"But don't you think we should also pull in some of the people from her grade, don't you think?" Ellie suggested as she stood up to stretch.

"Like who?"

"I don't know, like," She thought for a moment. "JT, or Toby, or someone."

"Well if it isn't the new save the world team." Ellie turned around and there stood Alex.

* * *

AN: Sorry. I guess I sorta ran out of ideas. Xx I'm dying! Hee hee. 


	7. For Freedom's Sake

**Author's Note: **I'M SO SORRY EVERYONE! But school has been real threatening lately, no time for writing. And I've just been so caught up. But hopefully I'll be able to produce more chapters for y'all to read!

**Simply Complicated**

* * *

Sean jumped into Jimmy's red convertible and they zoomed off to find their friends. First on the list was Ashley Kerwin.

When they arrived at a quaint little brick house, Ellie went up the driveway and rang the doorbell. Her mother answered.

"Who is this?" She asked through a screen door.

"Oh, hi Ms. Kerwin. It's Ellie Nash, do you remember me?" Ellie managed a smile and Ms. Kerwin opened the screen door.

"I suppose you're looking for Ashley? Let me go get her." A few minutes later, Ashley appeared in front of Ellie.

"Ellie?" Ashley had dark circles under her eyes.

"Have you been sleeping enough?" Ellie hugged her. "Is it because of . . ." Ellie didn't finish her sentence.

"Yes. But why are you here?"

"We're going after Rick." Ashley immediately understood and nodded. She rushed back in and came back with a small suitcase.

"Mom, I'm leaving with Ellie to go camping for a while . . . scouting." Her mom came back out and hugged Ashley and then Ellie.

"Have a good time girls."

* * *

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­After explaining what they planned to do to Ashley, they rushed off to find Craig. They arrived at Joey's house and all four of them rushed up to ring the door bell. 

"Craig! Can you get that?" Joey's voice rang out.

"Yeah," Craig appeared momentarily. "Whoa, what's everyone doing here?" He had a confused look on his face.

"We're going after Rick. Are you coming?" Ashley blurted out.

"Um, yeah, one minute, let me get my stuff." He returned with a coat. "Joey, I'm going to be leaving for a day or two. I hope you don't mind." And they left without looking back at Joey's concerned face as he called out to them.

* * *

"So we're going to do exactly _what_ to Rick?" Craig had been thinking of this question.

"I'm not sure, but we need to do it fast." Sean stared at nothing but the blank road ahead of them.

"Two days and Hazel comes back. We can find Paige tomorrow. Let's find a place to camp out for a while. Did anyone bring money?" Jimmy held up $90.

"I have some; I thought we might need it." Ashley brought out $100. "It's from my savings."

"Same here." Craig pulled out a wad of $80.

"I . . . I don't have anything. I'm sorry guys." Sean continued to look forward.

"No problem man. We're cool with that. It's your idea anyways. That jerk could be out there doing anything he wanted even if he murdered a girl who meant so much to all of us. Why should he be let that freedom when he took a girl's life?"


End file.
